See Test Run
by Jewels12
Summary: A unique account of the happenings during the infamous Test Run.
1. Our Compliments

Hey, folks! I'm back with a lovely little sequel to my last story: **_Falling Into You_**. Now, if you haven't read the former story, no need to panic. You'll get along just fine with this one. And once you've read even the smallest portion of this story, I'm sure you'll be inspired to read the previous one anyway, so it all works out in the end ;) One thing to note (for the newbies) is the fact that Luke and Lorelai are an item – and the whole town knows it. As do Richard and Emily. Now, get ready for some good times. Ready…Set…Read!!!

It had been about a week since D-Day. Dragonfly Inn Day. The day that the townies chipped in and helped the money-hemorrhaging Inn owners with last minute adjustments, paint touch-ups and more. It was quite the to-do. Hell, Taylor even declared it a Town Event. But most importantly, it was successful. Sookie, Lorelai and Michel were now ready to meet the business world head on. And Stars Hollow was about to up its tourism rate.

Of course, the Inn owners were still game for a test-run. After all, this was the perfect opportunity to measure their preparedness for genuine customers. Earlier in the week, Lorelai had sent off invitations to their devoted friends and neighbors. All twelve rooms were ready and waiting to be occupied.

As Saturday rolled in, Sookie and Lorelai were busy chatting in the foyer. It was early. Lorelai's cheesed off expression hinted as much.

"So, are your parents still coming?" Sookie asked.

"Unfortunately."

"Well, I think this could be good. This might be good for them," the chef encouraged.

"So would a murder suicide," Lorelai grimaced.

Sookie shrugged, "What about Luke?" Changing the subject was smart.

"What _about_ Luke?" Lorelai wondered.

"Is he still coming?"

"Wild horses couldn't drag him away. Or Cletus and Desdemona for that matter."

"Really? What did you do to him?"

Lorelai feigned surprise, "Nothing."

"Was it something slutty?" Sookie probed.

Lorelai chuckled, "You'll have to ask him."

Sookie giggled. "Ooh, I still can't get over the two of you. I can't believe you're together. I've never slept better."

"O-ok," Lorelai said with an air of concern in her voice.

The shuffling of showy hand-woven twine directed their attention towards Michel. He broke right into pleasantries. "Lorelai, where the hell is my chair?"

She was unfazed by his question. "Nice shoes."

Michel admired his feet for the fortieth time that day. "Thank-you."

"Expensive?" Sookie queried.

"Very," he replied superciliously.

"So, what can I do for you, Michel?" A straitjacket fitting would be a good start, Lorelai thought.

The concierge huffed, "You can start by answering my question. Where is my chair?"

Lorelai gestured towards the chair resting behind the front desk. "See that shiny thing over there? The thing with four legs, a padded seat, and a nice long back. Looks like a chair to me," she smirked.

"No. No. That is not _my_ chair. I specifically asked for a Queen Anne Wing!"

"Yes, you did," Lorelai confirmed.

"You actually remember?" Michel added in a petulant tone.

"I do remember," Lorelai agreed, "I also remember my response. I believe it went something like this: When Stars Hollow gets swept up in a tornado, soars magically through the air and suddenly becomes Cloudcuckooland, I will give you your chair. In other words…never gonna happen."

"You are a vile woman."

"And proud of it. Now, if you two will excuse me, I have some things to take care of. People are going to be here in a few hours. That should be sufficient time for you to get acquainted with your modest chair, Michel." With that, Lorelai was off and running.

Michel scowled at the woman.

Sookie fought back a smile.

"I just hope Jean-Luc has room for me next week," Michel whined.

"Who's Jean-Luc?" Sookie spoke in her best French accent.

"My chiropractor," he stated as though it was obvious. He turned on his heel and walked toward the contested contraption.

Sookie sighed and headed for the kitchen. She rolled up her sleeves and dug right in. There simply wasn't time for remissness. This was her culinary battlefield and she was going to lead her troops to victory. The accolades would be falling from the heavens come evening.

The last remaining prep-hours quickly passed. The guests were set to arrive at any minute. Lorelai gathered the staff, gave them a peppy…pep talk and led them to the porch to greet the travelers.

"Ok, everyone. Here they come. This is our time to shine," Lorelai beamed.

The shuttles scooted around the circular drive and finally came to a stop. The boys immediately tended to the luggage, while Lorelai and Sookie escorted their friends inside. Keys were distributed and smiles and handshakes were eagerly exchanged.

Taylor of course had to add his two cents. "Lorelai, the ride over here was terribly dusty. You might want to warn your guests in the future to bring along another set of clothes. I suppose the complimentary press and shoeshine will have to suffice for now.

"The what?"

"Complimentary press and shoe shine. Surely you know what amenities your business offers?"

"Uh, yeah. Taylor, will you excuse me for a minute." Lorelai slinked through the crowd, searching for Michel. A bewildered Mr. Doose was left to stare openmouthed at his half-full complaint card.

Emily and Richard walked through the entrance just as Lorelai had wrapped her fingers around Michel's throat…or wrist.

"Crap," Lorelai sighed.

Patty and Babette enthusiastically welcomed the Gilmores.

"Richard, Emily. So nice to see you," Patty cooed.

"This place is a zoo," Emily returned.

"Are all of these people staying here?" Richard wondered aloud.

Lorelai released her hold on Michel. "I'll deal with you later," she warned. With a slight adjustment of her blouse, she was ready to tend to her parents. "Mom, dad! I'm so glad you're here." She even said it with a straight face.

"Are all of these people staying here?" Richard repeated.

"Yeah, dad. This is an Inn. The room you and mom are staying in has a private entrance."

"That's nice." Emily almost sounded pleased.

"Ok, good. Just follow Derek and Paul outside. They'll help you get all settled in." Lorelai instructed.

"Fine." Richard and Emily did as they were told.

Before Lorelai could take a breath, the beloved Kirk was in her face. "Where's Luke? He said he'd be here! But I don't see him. He wouldn't lie to me, would he?"

"Kirk, calm down. Luke will be here."

"He better be. I don't know how I'll make it through the night without him."

"Um…" Lorelai didn't bother trying to comprehend Kirk's ramblings as he disappeared out of sight. She finally took a breath and composed herself. This was going to be a long day.

"Lorelai, there you are," Taylor boomed. "I don't know why you felt the need to hide from me."

"I wasn't hiding, Taylor," Lorelai assured the man.

"I want to know what's taking so long with my loafers?"

"Excuse me?"

"I gave them to Michel…for the complimentary shoeshine."

Lorelai rolled her eyes in utter disbelief. "Unbelievable. This is unbelievable. Taylor, I assure you that I will get to the bottom of this. Until then, I can offer you a complimentary pair of Dragonfly Inn slippers." She retrieved a yellow pair from inside the closet.

"Oh, very well. But I'm going to have to add this little fiasco to my list of complaints." Taylor slowly made his way towards the staircase.

"Same here," Lorelai muttered.

By this point the foyer was nearly clear of all traffic. People were finally getting settled into their rooms. The Inn was almost at capacity. Only one person was missing.

The moment he stepped foot through the door, Lorelai broke into a grin. Perfect timing, Mr. Danes. And the flowers were a nice touch too. Their embrace was immediate. The flowers fell to the floor. Maybe this day wouldn't be so bad after all.

TBC…

I've decided to bring back the **Word Game**. What is the **Word Game**, you ask? Well, you (the reader) suggest a word or two (or twenty) that you are especially fond of. It can be a word that is funny, weird, dirty etc. And I will include as many of your favorite words as I can in each chapter. Now hurry along and think of some. There'll be about five chapters in this quirky little story. Stay tuned.


	2. Play Time

Hi gang! Thanks for the wonderful reviews and word suggestions too. In this chapter I have included _at least_ one word from _every single person _(who suggested.) Sixteen words in total. No easy feat, I assure you. But I care about my readers. Ok, time for the show…

Luke and Lorelai finally withdrew from one another. He bent down to retrieve the flowers. "Here," he handed the bouquet to Lorelai. "These are for you."

She took a moment to admire the unexpected gift. She smiled broadly, "Luke, you old softy."

He blushed slightly.

Lorelai drank in the wonderful fragrance. "They're beautiful," she continued. "Did you pick them out all by yourself?" Her voice took on a playful mocking tone.

Luke was noticeably startled by the question. "Well, yeah…no." He blushed again.

Lorelai smirked.

"Uh, I mean…I had some help," he clarified. "Apparently bulrushes were inappropriate."

She laughed. "Oh, my favorite."

Luke smiled. He quietly observed the spectacle around him. "So…this is it. The big unveiling." He was so proud of Lorelai.

She sighed, "I was more inclined to call it the big headache before you arrived."

"Taylor getting to you?"

She nodded, "Taylor, my parents, Michel, Kirk. It's been a real treat so far."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Lorelai looked at him affectionately. "Your being here is a tremendous help. Hell, you're better than an Advil."

"Really?"

"You better believe it, mister."

"Fascinating."

She grinned. "Well, I guess we better get you all checked in then." She led him to the front desk, unoccupied as usual. Michel had boondoggling down to an art. Lorelai handed Luke the key to room seven.

"Seven?" Luke marveled.

Now it was Lorelai's turn to blush. "Uh, yes. It has a certain sentimental value, wouldn't you say?"

"Sentimental, sure," he agreed.

She cleared her throat. "And, um…Rory and I will be staying across the hall. So it's also a logistics thing."

"You planning on visiting?"

She raised her eyebrows, "Maybe."

"Good," he grinned, squeezing her hand. He started for the staircase.

"Hey, Luke?" she called to him.

He turned. "Yeah?"

"I'm so glad you came."

"Me too." His smile made her melt.

Lorelai wrapped her arms around herself; she felt giddy, elated. Everything was right with the world again. Unfortunately, an annoying voice cut short her peaceful revelry.

"Lorelai!" Kirk shrieked as he bounded down the stairs.

"What?" she sighed.

He came to a stop at her feet. "I can't stay here anymore!"

She rolled her eyes. "Why not, Kirk?"

"Because you don't have GSN!"

"Come again?"

"The Game Show Network! I need my _Match Game_ fix." He was serious.

"Kirk, we have over a hundred channels. Isn't there something else you can watch?"

"Um…" he thought for a moment. "I like the Weather Network."

"Great. Fabulous."

"Do you _have_ the Weather Network?"

"Yes, we _have_ the Weather Network," she confidently assured him.

"Ok." And with that simple utterance, he was gone.

Lorelai rotated her neck and shoulders. She felt tense. Perhaps she would solicit Luke for a massage later on. The thought made her giggle naughtily.

Speaking of the badly behaved, Patty and Babette happened to pass Kirk mid staircase and eagerly joined Lorelai in the foyer. They were wearing nothing…but robes, and looking positively jubilant.

"Lorelai, these robes are fabulous," Patty said merrily.

"Yeah, there's nothin' humdrum about these babies," Babette praised.

"Good. I'm glad you girls like them," Lorelai smiled favorably.

"Like them? Hell, I'm never getting dressed again." Patty had a wayward glint in her eye.

Lorelai pretended not to be frightened by the dance teacher's admission. "Well, I'm sure that will make for some great dinner time conversation." She forced a grin.

The busybodies laughed at that. With a wave of their hands they drifted to another branch of the Inn. Supposedly they were looking for reading material. Lorelai was just relieved that the Kama Sutra wasn't in the Dragonfly library.

With Patty and Babette occupied, Lorelai finally had a chance to check on more pressing things. Her first stop would be the kitchen. Just as she set off in that direction, Kirk made another timely appearance.

"Lorelai!" he shouted from the top stair. "Are there umbrellas here?

She was seriously considering earplugs at this point. "A few, yes. Why?" She immediately regretted asking.

He descended the remaining steps. "The Weather Network said we should expect a real gullywasher overnight."

"Really?" She had a dubious expression.

"Yes."

"They used the term gullywasher?"

"Well, no. Lulu and I played _Balderdash_ last night."

"Of course you did. Well, the Dragonfly has plenty of board games to choose from, Kirk."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" He was too inquisitive for his own good.

"No, of course not," she paused. "Is it working?"

He pondered for a minute. "Do you have _Balderdash_?"

"Yes," she quickly admitted.

"Excellent. Hey, I'll even see if Luke wants to play!"

"I'm sure he'd be tickled." Lorelai smirked. Poor Luke. Maybe she'd be the one giving the massage tonight.

Kirk scuttled upstairs to find some playing partners. Lorelai yawned and walked towards the kitchen. The aroma of food was intoxicating. Sookie and the team were in the midst of assembling a fantastic smorgasbord of provisions.

"Oh my god. This smells amazing, guys," Lorelai delightfully announced.

"We've got quite a team here," Sookie beamed.

Lorelai nodded in agreement. "So, how long would you say until dinner?"

Sookie was in chef-mode. "We'll be ready to plate in thirty."

"Super. I'll be back in a bit." Lorelai pushed open the door and headed back to the foyer.

Taylor welcomed the sight of her. "Lorelai, how's my loafer situation coming?"

The question threw her a bit. "Oh, uh…you know, Taylor, um, I was just about to look into to that. Uh, just wait here. I'll be right back." Michel better hide fast.

"But, Lorelai…" Taylor spoke to thin air. He huffed his disappointment. He was certain that tomfoolery was taking place.

Lorelai crossed paths with Morey on her way to slay Michel.

"Hey, Lorelai."

"Morey, hi. How's everything going?"

"Smooth as gravy. This Inn is lollapalooza." His 'cool speak' was coming out again.

"Um, thank...thanks," she smiled hesitantly.

"You got it." Morey walked away, tall and proud.

This day was getting weirder by the minute. And now something smelled funny. It appeared to be coming from the closet. Lorelai opened it with a look of dread on her face. There on the floor were Taylor's loafers…in Paw-Paw's mouth. She closed the door quickly, afraid of exposing the evidence. It was one setback after another.

Meanwhile, in a darker corner of the Inn, Michel and Gypsy were exchanging banter. Definitely weird.

"I can't wait to see the look on Taylor's face," Gypsy cackled.

"I despise that man," Michel returned.

"He'll never get the smell of pot roast out of those loafers."

"I loathe his loafers," The Concierge quipped. Mr. Petulance was at it again and this time he had an accomplice.

Upstairs, a wild game of _Balderdash_ was in progress. Luke, Kirk, Jackson and Lulu were snug around a table in Mr. Belleville's room. Round three was about to begin.

Kirk smelled the playing cards for the fourth time. "These cards smell fusty."

"Quit using words from the game, Kirk." Luke cautioned for the last time.

"I wonder if supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is one of the words?" Kirk would have a field day with that one.

Jackson sighed.

Luke sighed louder, "Man, this is worse than reading the _First Philippic_."

"What's that?" Lulu asked.

"The stupid book I was reading before I got rooked into this."

"Can I read it?" Kirk inquired.

"No." Luke was firm.

"Aw, nuts."

Speaking of nuts…dinner, minus one helping of pot roast was nearly ready. Let the feasting begin!

TBC…

As for the Word Game – suggest some new words, or re-nominate old ones. Let's just keep this Game alive!


	3. Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

Whew. That last chapter was exhausting…but entirely entertaining. The townies sure take a lot out of me. Crazy loons. Well, thanks again to those who contributed words to make Chapter Two that much better. And now I salute you: **lulu1960, schmoriegilmore, LotsOfLove, addicted2coffee, Gypsygirl, TweetyBirdGirl, MentalPicture, avesnovuelan, Lolabelle26, Lauren, mandeeangel, Curley-Q, Wish I was Mrs. Danes 117 **and **Robbinpoppins**. Here are the words ya'll so generously provided (in no particular order): _elated, boondoggle, gullywasher, jubilant, petulance, humdrum, fusty, philippic, quipped, Lollapalooza, fabulous, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, nuts, tomfoolery _and _a Match Game reference_ (it just so happens that I'm particularly fond of Match Game, so you lucked out.) Now that business is taken care of, let's get back to the main event, shall we?

Sookie and her kitchen crew were nearing the finish line. The sinfully rich aroma of pot roast filtered throughout the Inn. There were hungry tummies all around.

Lorelai passed through the hall to the foyer and overheard a nefarious conversation. Michel and Gypsy's delinquency was soon revealed. Lorelai followed the sound of their spiteful voices and quickly made her presence known.

"So, I just found Taylor's loafers in Paw-Paw's mouth. Anyone care to share?" Lorelai's sudden intrusion caused the conspirators to jump.

"Uh…you, uh…I'll let you field this one," Gypsy nudged Michel.

Michel shrugged unremorsefully. "Paw-Paw was hungry," he stated simply.

"So you fed him Taylor's loafers?" Lorelai was stunned by the dastardly deed.

"No. We fed him pot-roast…in Taylor's loafers." Gypsy corrected. She and Michel exchanged a cunning smile.

Lorelai shook her head in disbelief. "Ok. I don't have time to deal with this right now. What I need is for the two of you to clean up the mess in the closet. Then…separate. Get as far away from each other as you possibly can."

"Does Taylor know yet?" Gypsy's eyes lit up at the thought.

"No, and he's not going to find out either, because Michel is going to come with me right now and order Taylor another pair of loafers." She grabbed the concierge by the collar. "Gypsy, you go get a head-start on that closet."

The mechanic huffed in disappointment. "The one time I really stick it to Taylor…" she muttered aloud as she trudged towards the sullied storage space.

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Meanwhile, the foursome upstairs were fully immersed in a heated game of _Balderdash_…

"The word is…pulchritudinous," Jackson announced.

"Could you use it in a sentence?" Kirk asked innocently.

Luke groaned, "This isn't a spelling bee, Kirk."

Lulu took a moment and softly explained the rules of the game for the fifteenth time to her thickheaded boyfriend.

Kirk readily apologized, "Sorry, guys. I sometimes confuse this game with _Pictionary_."

There were bemused expressions on every face.

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Below, Lorelai and Michel were eyeing each other carefully at the front desk.

"So, what's going on with you two?" Lorelai asked suggestively.

Michel looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You and Gypsy…I think you're enamored by her." Lorelai poked, smirking all the while.

"You disgust me."

Lorelai giggled. "Just order those loafers before I dish to Patty." She gave him a wink and started for the kitchen. A few steps in, she heard a familiar voice.

"Mom?" Rory called from the entryway.

Lorelai practically sprinted to her offspring and wrapped her in a gigantic hug. "Oh, my weary traveler! I missed you!"

"I missed you more," Rory admitted. As she separated from her mother, she finally had a chance to admire the scenery. "Mom, this place looks incredible. I can't believe it…it's changed so much."

"Pretty amazing, huh?" Lorelai was still in awe. "Well, you're just in time for dinner, kiddo. I was about to check on things in the kitchen. Why don't you go on upstairs and get settled. We're in room six."

"Sounds good." Rory smiled at her mother's disappearing form and headed for the staircase. She noticed Michel looked particularly perturbed. "Having fun yet?" she playfully inquired.

"I can hardly contain myself," he responded dryly.

She giggled her way up the remaining steps.

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Emily and Richard entered the Inn next. They had grown tired of one another's company.

"Mm, what is that delightful aroma?" Richard wondered.

"Why don't we ask this man," Emily suggested, pointing at Michel. She and Michel had met on several occasions. I guess Mr. Girard didn't leave a lasting impression.

"Pot roast." Michel said without lifting his head from the book he was studying intently.

Richard smiled contentedly, "Of course. I knew I recognized that smell." He began walking in the direction of the dining room.

"Richard! Where are you going?" Emily shouted exasperatedly.

"I'm going to sit. That is what people do at dinner, Emily. They sit, at tables, and eat."

"But dinner isn't ready yet," she reasoned. Her dear husband kept right on walking. "Richard, do not go in there!"

"Get a hold of yourself, Emily!"

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Ahem, back to _Balderdash_ we go…

"Pulchritudinous…a leprechaun with an attitude." Jackson stated with a straight face. There was no doubt whose definition that was. "Any takers?"

Crickets.

Kirk's face flushed.

Jackson read the next definition. "Pulchritudinous…a stupid word in this stupid game." He glared at Luke.

"What?" the diner man feigned innocence.

"So, who's having fun?" Lulu tried to revive the troops.

Crickets part deux.

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Lorelai exited the kitchen with a smile on her face. Dinner was minutes away from being served. She set off to gather the gang and escort them to the dining room. Only, her wonderful parents provided a slight interruption to her schedule.

"Mom, dad, hi. What are you doing here?"

"Did you actually expect us to stay in that isolated…Siberia all night?" Emily accused pointedly.

"_Here_ as in the dining room, mom, not the building in general."

"Oh. Ask your father."

"Can a man not eat?" Richard elevated his voice.

Lorelai sighed, "Yes, of course you can eat. Please, sit down, both of you. I'm going to round everybody up, and we'll meet you back here in a couple minutes. Ok?"

They both nodded.

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Patty and Babette were easy to find on the main floor. Gypsy and Michel made their way (separately) to the dining room as well. Next, Lorelai ventured upstairs. She could hardly hide her smile upon seeing Luke engrossed in a game of _Balderdash_. Engrossed was a bit too strong a word. Tolerating was more appropriate.

"Hey, guys," she interrupted. "Diner's ready." She winked at Luke.

Luke broke into a grin. Those were the magic words he'd been waiting to hear. His three companions eagerly charged for the stairs. Luke stayed behind to help Lorelai gather the remaining guests.

Lorelai grinned at him. "So, did you win?"

He shook his head, "But I beat Kirk."

"I'm sure he's crushed," she giggled.

Luke smirked. He stepped toward Lorelai and slid his hands down her arms. "I really want to kiss you."

She chuckled, "So kiss me."

"Later," he whispered.

"Promise?" she flirted.

"You and me. Room seven."

They walked into the hall with toothy grins and herded the rest of the townies.

It's Feeding Time!

TBC…

Now, if some or all of the words you suggested did not appear in this chapter, do not be alarmed. I only managed to squeeze four into this one. However, I'm already halfway through the fourth chapter and it's jam-packed with words. Every one of you marvelous contributors will have at least one word featured in the chapter. So, suggest more words, or re-nominate old ones. And keep reading!


	4. Too Much Information

Ahoy-hoy, friends! Man, that was a long break, but a much needed one. I had to give my tender brain a rest. And now I'm very ready to continue this wonderful journey, thus bringing closure to you, my dear and patient readers, and myself in the process. Thanks to **lulu1960**, **TweetyBirlGirl**, **Mental Picture** and **schmoriegilmore **for providing the words: _enamored_, _pulchritudinous_, _delinquency_ and _dastardl_y in the last chapter. This chapter (as promised,) features a word (or two…or three) from everyone that suggested. Wild!

And now I give you chapter four…

Luke and Lorelai gathered up the rest of the gang, Rory included, and headed to the dining room. All the tables had been pushed together in a long line – perfect for an intimate Dragonfly Inn dining experience.

Before Lorelai could utter a perplexed syllable, Sookie appeared from the kitchen surrounded by her over-achieving culinary crew. They each held a covered dish in their hands, and on Sookie's command, they revealed.

There were _oohs_ and _aahs_ from every corner of the room.

"Voila!" Sookie proudly announced. "Dinner is served." Her team had taken pot roast to another dimension.

"Food, glorious food!" Kirk said in a singsong voice.

As the kitchen crew placed a heaping dish in front of every guest, Sookie trailed along behind with a generous bottle of wine in her hands. After the 'Great Wine Debacle' of 2001, Lorelai knew better than to trust Sookie with the ceremonial pouring.

"Uh, Sook, hon…do you think it's a good idea for you to be looking after the wine?" Lorelai spoke as unassumingly as possible.

The chef giggled, "Everything's under control here." She giggled some more. The bottle slipped…

…Morey caught it.

"Crisis averted," Jackson chimed as he rose from the table.

"Yep. Everything is under control," Sookie reiterated, this time with less confidence.

Jackson pried the bottle from Sookie's grip. He ushered his clumsy wife to her seat next to his and took over sommelier duty.

Sookie exhaled loudly. "Everything is under control," she stated for the third time, then hiccupped.

Lorelai and Luke both chuckled from their seats directly across from Sookie.

"Sook, you haven't been into the cooking sherry again, have you?" Lorelai playfully remarked.

Sookie's cheeks flushed.

By this point every guest had a steaming plate in front of them, their glasses were full and their taste buds were itching to be appeased. Sookie's plate was the last to arrive. Her glass was filled with water. She didn't seem to mind as she concentrated on tracing the outline of her fork with her spoon.

Before anyone could slide a bite into his or her mouth, Lorelai cleared her throat and stood up, drawing everyone's attention. "Um, hi. I know you're all pretty anxious to dig in, so I'll make this quick. I just want to thank you all on behalf of the Dragonfly Inn, for your unfailing generosity and support. This has been a long, sometimes painful, but ultimately rewarding journey and we couldn't have arrived at this point without all of you. So, once again, thank you. And unless I want to risk a relapse of our infamous food fight from a week ago, I shall conclude my speech with the wise words of Calvin Trillin; _Alice, let's eat_."

"Hear, hear!" Kirk spewed. His mouth was jammed full and he was already on his second bite.

There were sparks of short chatter here and there, and then came the silence. Silence filled with ravenous ecstasy.

The silence inspired Sookie. "Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we play a little game?" The chef hiccupped again.

Luke and Jackson simultaneously groaned. _Balderdash_ had scarred them for life.

Lorelai was a trifle leery of the chef's spontaneous suggestion. "Uh, what kind of game did you have in mind, Sook?"

Sookie had to think for a moment, "Um, we'll go around the room and everyone has to share something personal about themselves that nobody else would know."

"Sounds like fun," Patty giggled mischievously."

"Yeah, let's give it a go," Babette agreed on cue.

"I'll start!" Kirk hollered, again with a full mouth. "I love musicals, specifically _Brigadoon _and _Cabaret_….and I have a superfluous nipple."

Gypsy blasted out something that resembled laughter, but less friendly.

"Kirk, that was two things, hon. Two _very_ personal things." Lorelai informed the peculiar man."

Lulu spoke up, taking the unwarranted attention away from Kirk. "I love horses!" she exclaimed.

"We know," Michel returned sharply.

His comment threw dear little Lulu off. "Well, I know a lot about horses. For example, did you know that horses can communicate how they are feeling by their facial expressions. They use their ears, nostrils and eyes to show their moods."

"Wow, you're a regular hippolog!" Jackson was impressed.

"A hippo–what?" Babette barked.

Jackson repeated himself, "Hippolog. It's a technical term for someone who knows a lot about horses. I suppose I should also mention that it's a Danish word. Which brings me to my revelation: I enjoy studying the Danish culture."

The entire room was stunned, Sookie included.

Gypsy broke the tension. "What about the Hungarian culture? Just didn't cut it for ya?"

There were a few stray giggles.

Lorelai sighed happily, "Did Danish people invent danishes? 'Cause if they did, I am so building a shrine for them."

"You should google it," Emily came in from left field with that suggestion. Lorelai held onto the table for support. "Oh, that reminds me," Emily continued. "I just learned how to google myself the other day. It is google, isn't it?"

Lorelai was beside herself. "Yes, mom. It's google."

"Is it just me, or is the word google drenched with sexual connotations?" Patty offered.

There were groans all around.

"Well, we've heard from Kirk, Lulu, Jackson and Emily. Who's next?" Sookie asked the crowd.

"Oh, oh, me! Pick me!" Lorelai shouted. Sookie nodded her head in approval. "Ok…um, I…love…snow!"

"We know," Michel snapped for the second time.

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Fine, um…I like to frolic capriciously…in snow!" Noticing the unfavorable looks on people's faces, she gave it one last go. "Ok, here it comes…I always wanted to be a jockey. There. I said it."

"A disc jockey?" Morey questioned excitedly.

Lorelai clarified, "No, a horse jockey."

"But you're too tall to be a jockey." Jackson stated the obvious.

"Gee, thanks…Rune," Lorelai returned sarcastically.

"Hey!" Jackson cried in protest.

Sookie giggled, then hiccupped. "Alright, Luke, you're up."

Luke grunted in appreciation. "I hate games. Rory, you're up."

"Now wait just a minute. A least be more specific, Luke. What _kind_ of games do you hate?" Richard broke into the conversation. Apparently he and Emily were gung ho for games.

Luke thought for a minute. "I hate nonsensical games."

"Lorelai, give us something about Luke," Patty pleaded. The wheels in Lorelai's head were turning at rapid speed.

Luke narrowed his eyes at both women.

Lorelai began, "Ok, Luke loves _My Little Pony_.

"I do not!" Luke defended his manhood.

"Ooh, I LOVE _My Little Pony_!" Lulu unnecessarily added.

"It's true, she does." Kirk confirmed.

"And I," Patty cut in, "have an unusual fixation with pumpernickel bread. I don't know what it is. There's just something incredibly erotic about it." A fricking paper clip would be erotic to this woman.

No one seemed surprised by that revelation.

Next, Babette took charge. "I like to walk around in the nude at home." She spoke so insouciantly.

Every eyebrow was raised.

"Clothes can be a little ponderous sometimes, ya know what I mean? Morey sure gets a kick out of it!" Babette mercifully concluded.

Morey grinned unabashedly. "Yeah, she's a babe! Schwing!"

Three minutes later the laughter died down.

Sookie finally spoke up, "I think Rory missed her turn a while back. You ready, honey?"

Rory shrugged her shoulders. "Uh, sure, I guess. Hmm…well, I have an abnormal fear of hippos. I think it all stems back to an unpleasant childhood trip to the zoo and a bizarre mating ritual…I don't want to talk about it."

"Hippopotamuses!" Kirk randomly shouted. He really was a simpleton.

"Anyway, moving on. Taylor, you're being awfully quiet over there. Cat got your tongue?" Patty poked.

Taylor glared at Patty. He removed his hands from under the table and revealed his note pad. He'd been busily writing complaints the entire time. "Very well, Patty, if you insist. I have something to share with you all. Something that I'm sure will be of great astonishment and interest. My great uncle, Rudolph Doose, was a pirate."

There were amused expressions the entire length of the table.

Gypsy fought through her laughter. "Shiver me timbers!"

"Hey, Taylor, where's your parrot?" the quirky Kirk quipped. Say _that_ three times fast.

"Quick, somebody find me an elastic band! I'm making Taylor an eye patch." Lorelai giggled.

"Keep it up, Lorelai, and this complaint list will reach volumes beyond even my imagination!" Taylor boomed.

Lorelai whined, "But Gypsy started it."

"Ok, let's hear from Michel!" Sookie abruptly changed the subject.

The concierge rolled his eyes well into the back of his head. "No! I will not subject myself to the humiliation that is this game."

"Then I will not subject myself to signing your paycheck," Lorelai returned.

"Vile woman! All right…I like antiques."

"I reject that answer. Go again." Lorelai instructed.

"My turn is over. If you didn't hear me, then clearly you are suffering from presbycusis!"

"Presby-who?" Babette inquired.

"Presbycusis is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most individuals as they grow older." Gypsy, of all people, explained. She received a few doubtful looks. "What? I took biology, ok?" The entire group appeared to be satisfied with that answer.

"I think I'll give it a whirl now," Richard said. Everyone listened attentively. "I enjoy perusing the dictionary. The English Language is an astounding thing. Uh, not to take anything away from the Danish language, of course," Richard nodded toward Jackson. "Also," Richard continued, "as of late, I've been studying grammatical structures. I often find myself parsing over every sentence in the books I read," he chuckled. "It can be quite exhausting, you know." That revelation would undoubtedly have people talking.

Sookie hesitated to pass the torch to another tablemate. Richard was on a bit of a tangent. "Uh, should we hear from someone else?"

"How about you?" Luke suggested to Sookie. He was obviously paying attention to the game. That was progress.

The invitation incited much giggling from the chef. "Oh, ok. Um…I really love the word onomatopoeia." She began saying the word, sounding out every syllable. "O-no-ma-to-poe-ia, o-no-ma-to-poe-ia, o-no-ma-to-poe-ia…"

Lorelai interrupted, "Sookie, hon, we get the picture."

"Zing!" Gypsy cleverly shouted.

It went right over Sookie's head. "What?"

Gypsy shook her head. "Never mind."

"Who still hasn't shared?" Patty asked the table.

"I'll go," Morey offered. "I know I probably come across to most of you as an arcane man, with a fetish for music and full-figured women," he winked at Babette. "But," he continued, "I have a deep, dark secret. I hate Mardi Gras." There were gasps heard around the room. Morey pressed on. "To be honest, it's the beads. Those damn beads. There's just too many of them. And the crowds. It's a little overbearing."

Babette squeezed her sugar. "Aw, Morey. You're just so damn sweet. Isn't he sweet?"

"Painfully, so." Michel on the other hand was a sourpuss.

Sookie clasped her hands together. "Well, I think that's everyone…"

"Buh, buh, buh, buh," Lorelai interrupted. "I believe Miss Gypsy has yet to grace us with a tale."

"Ah crap," Gypsy sulked. "I hate geometry. There, game's over."

Michel had an evil grin on his face, "Centroid," he boldly stated.

"Stop!" Gypsy pleaded.

"Quadrilateral." Michel was at it again.

Gypsy's core temperature was rising. "Die!"

Michel was defiant to the end. "Parallelogram."

"Clearly _you_ are suffering from presbycusis!" Gypsy accused the insufferable man.

Lorelai smiled at the scene before her. "Love is in the air," she sang, winking at Michel.

"Stop!" This time Michel was begging for mercy.

The room was rapidly filling with chatter of the bad-mannered variety. A distraction was desperately needed.

"So…who's ready for dessert?" Sookie to the rescue.

TBC…

WHEW! This chapter was officially the LONGEST one I've EVER written. But it took a lot of space to ensure I incorporated as many of your suggested words as possible. In total, there's 33! That's right, thirty-three! And that feat pretty damn near killed me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to lie down. But first, I'll say that instead of one more chapter, there will be two. And they'll be up and posted before you can say onomatopoeia!


	5. Dirty Secrets

Hello, friends! It seems that it is time once again to update this zany little story. But, before I do that, I must commend you all on your fabulous contributions to the Word Game. Here's the list of words/phrases from the last chapter: _spontaneous, hippopotamus, simpleton, snow, frolic, capricious, nonsensical, jockey, peculiar, onomatopoeia, insouciant, cabaret, superfluous, ponderous, drenched, zing, voila, ravenous ecstasy, quirky, arcane, centroid, shwing, Mardi Gras, google, pumpernickel, presbycusis, fork, Hungarian, elastic band, pirate, parsing, My Little Pony, Brigadoon, Hippolog_. Wow, you guys are killer! Now, let's allow our imaginations to soar into the land of Stars Hollow. I'm kicking this baby up a notch…

Sookie and her culinary crew scuttled merrily out of the kitchen, a multitude of desserts in hand. They decorated the tables with beautifully rich cakes and pies of every variety. Before Sookie had a chance to instruct the guests to "dig in," Kirk was already five steps ahead of her, hovering over his dessert of choice.

"Can someone help me cut this cake?" The incompetent Kirk asked.

Gypsy pointed at Taylor. "Why don't you see if Pirate Pete over there can lend you his hook?" she teased.

Lorelai laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure he has a…" she stopped mid-sentence, noticing Taylor's menacing gaze. She reiterated, "What Taylor has, is a long list of complaints. And a lovely vest," she added for effect.

Taylor nodded his approval and graciously scratched an item off his infamous list.

"These desserts are incredible, Sookie," Patty gushed.

The chef giggled, "Thanks!" Then she giggled some more.

Lorelai smirked, quietly pulling Dereck aside and instructing him to hide the cooking sherry before Sookie pulled a muscle.

The cakes and pies were generously making their way around the tables, everyone wishing to sample a section of their desired treats. They engaged in short spurts of chatter, while they shoveled in heaping mouthfuls of the baked goods

Kirk was about to reach for seconds, but Lulu caught him just in time. "No, Kirk," she said in a school teacher tone.

"Wanna go upstairs?" Kirk said instead, remnants of icing trickling down his chin. It seemed that the sugar had given certain parts of his anatomy a real boost.

Lulu grinned, rising out of her chair. She was a wild one. Together they skipped jauntily out of the dining room without uttering another word.

"There goes my appetite," Luke groaned.

"Oh, come on, Luke," Lorelai began, "They might just be going to play another round of _Balderdash_." She paused thoughtfully, then continued. "And speaking of which, maybe _we_ should go play some _Balderdash_, too," she winked suggestively at Luke.

Luke blushed.

"What on earth is this _Balderdash_ that everyone keeps talking about?" Emily demanded to know.

"Why don't you 'Google' it, mom," Lorelai mocked.

Emily rolled her eyes.

"It's a board game from hell," Jackson kindly ended the mystery.

"It's a classic game of bluffing and trivia." Morey further supplied. "You'd probably enjoy it," he directed specifically towards Richard.

"Is that so? Sounds intriguing." Mr. Gilmore reasoned. "Perhaps we should engage in a round?" he asked of his tablemates.

Luke and Jackson exchanged looks of panic. Although with Kirk out of the picture, the game might prove to be a little more tolerable.

"What the hell are we waitin' for? Let's play!" Babette urged the crowd.

"Let's _not_ play." Michel insisted, enunciating every word through clenched teeth.

"Do I have to play?" Luke tiredly whispered to Lorelai.

"Just one round, hon. You can handle that. I promise I'll make it worth your while." She gestured upward with her eyes. Luke got the gist.

"Ok!" Sookie shouted excitedly. "We'll just get these tables all cleaned off, and then it's game time!" Her enthusiasm left little to be desired. The chef and her team expertly tidied the dining room, while Babette retrieved the aforementioned board game. In the meantime, Morey carefully explained the rules of the game to those unfamiliar.

A few minutes later Babette shouted from the staircase, "I got it! I got it! She returned briskly to the table, huffing and puffing from her journey. She placed the game on the table, and put her hand over her chest, taking several gulps of air before trying to speak. "Lorelai," she began. Lorelai obediently directed her attention towards the stout woman. "You might wanna give that room of Kirk and Lulu's an extra scrub tomorrow. They're makin' good use of it, if you know what I mean!" she wheezed out a laugh.

There were groans all around.

"Or you could just burn down the room instead," Gypsy cunningly suggested.

"A little TNT might do the trick," Jackson chimed in.

"Anyone have access to a wrecking ball?" Gypsy was at it again.

Lorelai sighed.

"Fire, explosives, wrecking balls – these are all _good_ ideas. Inviting Kirk to the Inn? That was a very _bad_ idea!" Michel barked at Lorelai.

Lorelai raised her eyebrow. "And what kind of an idea was hiring you, Michel?" she inquired. Michel glared at her. Lorelai smiled in return. "I can tell you one thing for sure," she added. "It's reversible."

Michel scowled, muttering something about his chows and winning an award of excellence in grooming.

Richard, Morey, Babette and Miss Patty were busy setting up the game, while the others sat restlessly waiting for the action to begin.

"Now, is everyone playing?" Richard asked as he lined up the playing pieces.

Lorelai surveyed the table, stopping on Michel. "What about you, Mr. Peppy? You sticking around?" She doubted his answer would be a positive one.

Michel shrugged. "There's nothing better to do in this insipid place."

Lorelai smirked in surprise. "Ah, we've found our new slogan for the marketing campaign." Her focus then moved to Gypsy.

"I'll play a round…or two," Gypsy said with no visible regret.

Michel and Gypsy both willingly partaking in a festive game. How interesting.

Lorelai finally landed on Taylor. "Are you up for a little _Balderdash_, Taylor?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm afraid at this portion of the night, you'll have to do without my company. I've had far too much excitement for one day. I think it's best if I head upstairs and try to catch a few winks. Otherwise my REM cycle will be completely thrown off." He stood up from his chair. "Let's keep the noise volume to a minimum, hmm?" He aimed his last comment at Lorelai, tapping his complaint list for effect.

Lorelai nodded obligingly.

Taylor quickly made his way out of the dining room.

"So long, Pirate Pete," Gypsy called after him.

Silence filled the room for a moment.

Rory finally spoke up. It was a nice little reminder of her presence at the table. "I think I'm going to hit the hay, too," she said.

Lorelai frowned. "You sure, hon?"

"Yeah," Rory replied. "It's been a long day." She rose from her chair and hugged both her grandparents, then her mother. "Good night, everyone."

"Good night, Rory," The entire table spoke in unison. It was like a scene from _The Sound of Music_.

Rory disappeared from sight, just as the game was set to commence.

"Get those pens poised." Morey instructed. "I'll start. The word is…Anililagnia."

Every face shared the same puzzled look. Except for Richard's. He was beaming.

Vanilla-who?" Babette pondered aloud.

Morey chuckled and slowly spelled out the word for his challenged companions. "When you're finished writing your definitions, pass them to me," he reminded everyone.

A few minutes passed before he had collected all the necessary papers. "Ok, let's see how creative you all are." Morey read out the first definition. "Anililagnia - a person that's allergic to lasagna."

There were a few chuckles.

"Allergic to lasagna? Poor bastard," Lorelai sympathized.

Luke smiled.

Morey proceeded with the next definition, "Anililagnia - the fear of vegetables."

Jackson nearly fainted. "That's sacrilege!"

Sookie giggled uncontrollably. It was no doubt whose definition that was.

"Anililagnia – a bald head that looks like a peeled garlic."

More giggling ensued. This time even Emily cracked a smile.

"Anililagnia…" Morey hesitated, blushing for an instant, then continuing, "A disease in which a man has two penises."

The laughter kicked up, several notches.

"My god!" Emily said, shocked.

"Having two penises is hardly a disease…it's a gift from the heavens!" Patty laughed wickedly.

Babette was right there with her.

"Is this the 'dirty' version of _Balderdash_?" Emily genuinely wondered.

"One can only hope," Sookie giggled.

Lorelai laughed.

Morey shook his head, reading on. "Anililagnia - the finger cymbals worn by belly dancers."

That definition had people thinking.

The tall man took a deep sigh. Only a few more to go. "Anililagnia – the act of feeding pot roast in a loafer to hungry chows."

Only three people in the room knew the significance of that definition. And two of them were softly chuckling with an evil glint in their eyes.

As if on cue, there was a loud scream from the foyer. "My loafers!" Taylor cried.

He'd found them, still in the closet, still in Paw-Paw's mouth.

Ruh-Ro!

TBC…

There's only one chapter to go, folks! Stay tuned, and keep suggesting words for the Word Game. I've missed it so.


	6. Oh, Louis!

Hello, readers. The end of this adventure is sadly upon us. I thank you for coming along for the ride. Now, buckle up and get ready for the last crazy bump in the road!

Taylor had just settled into his bed for the night when he heard a girlish yelp coming from Kirk and Lulu's room. He huffed, sliding his sleep mask over his eyes and collapsing his head against the pillow. He had to admit that the beds were quite comfortable. Perhaps this 'vacation' of sorts wouldn't be a total loss. Within moments, he was in dreamland.

Approximately four-and-a-half minutes later, Mr. Doose was shaken violently from his slumber by some fiend pounding relentlessly on his door. He angrily rose from his bed and walked towards the door, yanking it open.

"Kirk!" Taylor boomed.

"Taylor!" Kirk shrieked in fear.

They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds. "Where are your pants?" Taylor finally asked the obvious question, his anger giving way to confusion, curiosity even.

Kirk didn't answer him immediately. Instead, he came back with a question of his own. "Are you wearing _Peter Pan_ pyjamas?"

Taylor blushed. He'd temporarily forgotten his ensemble. "I…uh…" he stumbled. "Why were you pounding on my door, Kirk?" He quickly changed the subject.

"I was wondering if I could borrow a pair of pants. Actually, if you have another set of _Peter Pan_ pyjamas, I'll take those!" Kirk said enthusiastically.

"For god's sake, keep your voice down," Taylor pleaded. He gestured for Kirk to come inside and closed the door behind him.

"This is a nice room," Kirk said in effort to make conversation.

"It's the exact same as yours." Taylor rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Oh." Kirk seemed disappointed to note.

Taylor decided to wrap things up before Kirk got too comfortable. "What happened to your pants, Kirk?"

"Well…Lulu was particularly aggressive tonight and…"

Mr. Doose hurriedly interrupted, "Don't say another word!"

"Ok, but you asked..."

"And I'll live to regret it."

Kirk moved to sit on the mussed bed. Taylor cringed. "Can I borrow some pants then?" the frail man asked.

Taylor shuddered at the thought. "There has to be some spare clothing somewhere in this establishment," he said aloud. Shaking his head, he slid into his slippers, tied a robe around himself, (for warmth, and to hide the images of _Peter_ and _Captain Hook_), and exited his room, Kirk in tow.

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The noises of _Balderdash_ flooded the staircase as Taylor and his unwanted escort made their way towards the storage closet.

Within moments, Taylor stood before the closet, hand on the doorknob, and slowly he turned…

His face fell. His pulse quickened, and before he could stop himself, he cried, "My loafers!" at the top of his lungs.

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The dining room fell silent.

Lorelai looked from Gypsy to Michel and back, shaking her head and poising her tongue for a good lashing. She abruptly stood up from her place at the table. "I thought I told you two to clean up that mess," Lorelai said sharply, as she dragged the two conspirators out of the dining room by their ears.

"We thought it might add a level of excitement if we left it untouched." Gypsy casually admitted.

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Did you at least order Taylor a new pair of loafers," she whispered to Michel as they approached a discoloured Taylor.

He smiled slyly. "Of course."

A sense of dread washed over Lorelai. "They're not from 'Street Walkers Anonymous,' are they?"

Michel ignored her comment, directing his attention toward the Town Selectman. "Ah, Taylor. Is there some sort of problem here?" he said in the most condescending manner.

Taylor glared at the Frenchman. "This!" he shouted, pointing at the loafer currently acting as the latest chew-toy for the incomparable Paw-Paw. "_This_ is the problem!"

"Oh, isn't that the most adorable thing you have ever seen." Michel got down on all fours and nuzzled his chow affectionately. "Little Paw-Paw has good taste. Yes he does…yes he does," he cooed.

Taylor hissed, "Lorelai, I strongly suggest that you have this mess cleaned up. And that the guilty parties are thoroughly reprimanded."

"Yes, Taylor. Absolutely," Lorelai agreed. She yanked Michel up by his arm, cutting short his cuddle time, and pulled Gypsy next to him. "Troglodytes one and two at your service," she said referring to the two wrong-doers.

"Very well," Taylor sighed. "I don't think I'll be able to get back to sleep tonight. This experience has been much too traumatic for me." He touched the back of his hand to his forehead for dramatic effect.

"Taylor, I apologize for any distress this has caused you. I assure you that we will have a brand new pair of loafers delivered to your room in the morning."

"Fine," he said with an air of disbelief in his voice. Just as he was about to begin the short trek back to his room, Taylor suddenly remembered something. "Kirk…where did Kirk get to?" he asked aloud, to no one in particular.

"Uh, Kirk? Was Kirk with you?" Lorelai wondered.

Taylor nodded. "_Was_, being the operative word.

"So Kirk moved on to you after Lulu, huh?" Gypsy jabbed.

Before Taylor could ring her neck, Lorelai urged Gypsy to get back to work. Michel smiled in appreciation of Gypsy's wit.

Lorelai and Taylor were about ready to search for Kirk, when he came around the corner with a big grin, still pant-less.

"Kirk, where have you been?" Taylor demanded to know.

"How about asking him where the hell his pants are – or is that meant to be a secret between the two of you?" Gypsy was at it again. This time Michel literally clapped in approval.

Taylor growled.

Kirk answered Taylor's question first. "I was in the library," he said it as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Um…what exactly were you doing in the library?" Lorelai asked, praying that the disappearance of his pants was completely unrelated.

"I was reading 'Gnomes of the West'. It's a beautiful book."

"Uh huh, ok. Um, Kirk, honey…what happened to your pants?" Lorelai was more than a little curious to find out.

"Don't ask! You don't want to know," Taylor assured her.

"If it has anything to do with you, then you're right. We _don't _want to know." Gypsy muttered. Man, she was on a roll. It was almost like she was showing off. And Michel was loving every minute of it.

"I tried to get some pants from Taylor, but he didn't want to share," Kirk said. "Hey…have you seen his pj's?!" he excitedly questioned his companions. Before waiting for an answer, he pulled at the tie around Taylor's waist…

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The game of _Balderdash_ had come to a quick halt as a result of the dramatics taking place a few feet outside the dining room. When it became apparent that the game wouldn't be continuing anytime soon, Emily demanded to know the correct definition for the word they'd been given.

Morey smartly cooperated. "Analalagnia…an attraction to older women, is the correct definition.

Everyone quietly acknowledged the answer…except for Patty and Babette. They started hooting and hollering. And Richard…he had a look on his face as though he'd swallowed a canary.

"Mr. Gilmore, are you feeling all right?" Jackson asked, concerned.

Richard chuckled softly. "I'm feeling a mixture of pride and cunning intellect.

"He got the right definition," Emily supplied.

There was applause all around. Richard officially adored the game of _Balderdash_.

"Well, I'm about ready to hit the sack. How about you, sweet cheeks?" Babette asked her hubby.

Morey nodded, and the two stood up from the table, inspiring the other players to do the same.

There were a few handshakes and congratulatory pats on the back, and they all exited the dining room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The entourage of guests returning from the dining room made it to Kirk and company just in time for the big reveal.

With the flick of his wrist, Kirk uncloaked Taylor and exposed his cute little secret. The entire crowd erupted in laughter. Taylor yelped in embarrassment and desperately clutched at the fabric of his robe to cover himself.

Taylor glared at Kirk, glared harder at Lorelai, harder still at Gypsy, and took off for the stairs. He would never live this one down.

"Goodnight, Neverland!" Gypsy shouted after him to the amusement of all parties.

As the laughter died down, people finally had a chance to take in Kirk's appearance. This time they all wore horrified expressions.

"We're dealing with the pants situation." Lorelai promised.

That seemed to be enough. The guests slowly made their way to their respective rooms, after graciously thanking their hosts for a splendid evening.

The only people that remained downstairs were Lorelai, Gypsy, Michel and Kirk. Lorelai made quick work of finding a pair of cloth pyjamas for Kirk and urged him to return to his room. He wouldn't leave without 'Gnomes of the West.' It was a small price to pay, Lorelai reasoned.

Gypsy and Michel were making slow progress on the clean-up job in the closet. With another stern warning, Lorelai left the two to their own devices. She hummed, 'Love is in the air,' as she walked. Michel and Gypsy didn't seem to notice.

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Lorelai gently turned the knob on door number six. She tip-toed into the room and turned on the light next to the bed she and Rory were sharing.

"Mom?" Rory said, causing Lorelai to jump. She moved to sit upright in the bed.

"Hey, kid. I didn't wake you up, did I?"

Rory grinned. "No, I'd say the laughing and screaming coming from downstairs had more to do with it. What the heck was going on down there?"

Lorelai sighed. "To make a long story short, Gypsy and Michel should never be allowed near loafers, or hungry animals. And Taylor should never be allowed to shop alone at _Walmart_."

"Ok," Rory said, confused.

"I'll give you the more detailed version of the story in the morning."

Rory yawned. "Sounds good."

"Listen," Lorelai said, sitting down on the bed and squeezing Rory's arm. "Before you go to sleep, there's something I need to tell you."

"Shoot."

"Well…it's still pretty new, but, um, I'm kind of in a relationship."

"Yeah?" Rory asked, suddenly much more interested in the conversation.

"Yeah. And you know him…pretty well, actually. He's an upstanding member of our town, and he's not bad to look at, either."

Rory shook her head. "It took you guys long enough," she smiled.

Lorelai opened her mouth in shock. "How…how did you know?"

"You pretty much spelled it right out for me."

"Damn that Yale education of yours. I thought it would take you a few more guesses."

"Because this town is just full of good-looking and eligible bachelors."

Lorelai grinned. "You think Luke's good-looking? I'm so telling!"

"You better watch yourself, or I'm gonna steal him right from under your nose." Rory teased sarcastically.

"Well, anyway, I think I'm going to pop over and say goodnight to my man." Lorelai said, rising from the bed.

"And what exactly does your saying 'goodnight' entail?" Rory was terrified that she already knew the answer.

"A firm handshake, maybe a curtsy."

"Whatever, Scarlett." Rory poked.

"It all depends on what he's wearing…or isn't wearing," Lorelai giggled.

Rory groaned. "Mom, I'm right next door! These walls have ears."

"Honey, these are damn thick walls." Lorelai hit the wall with her fist to prove her point.

"Mom!"

Lorelai laughed. "What? We're not going to get all primordial on you!"

Rory sighed, sliding onto her stomach and pulling her pillow over her head. "Goodnight." Her voice was muffled by the pillow.

Lorelai rubbed her daughter's back affectionately and tip-toed back out of the room.

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Within seconds she stood outside of door number seven, her heart pounding hard in her chest. She pinched her cheeks and knocked.

Luke answered the door almost immediately. He was wearing jogging pants and a tight t-shirt.

"Hey, sexy!" Lorelai smiled.

Luke looked around the hallway to see if anyone heard. Shaking his head, he pulled her inside and shut the door.

"I love it when you're rough with me," she teased.

He smirked.

Lorelai moved closer to him and ran her hands up and down his chest. "I've been waiting all day for this," she sighed.

Luke did everything in his power to hold her off.

Lorelai leaned back, a puzzled look on her face. "Hey, what gives? You bored of me already?"

"I'm just not comfortable doing this here. Not with Rory across the hall," he admitted.

Lorelai pouted, advancing on him again.

He struggled to push her away. She was a feisty one.

"What if someone walks in on us? I'm pretty sure Kirk is still awake," Luke warned.

Lorelai walked towards the door and gave it a good twist. It didn't budge. "Locks, baby. That's why they invented them."

Luke shook his head. "I still don't think we should do anything. I just don't feel right about it."

Lorelai was silent for a minute. "Can I at least have a kiss then?" she pleaded.

"Mmm…" Luke still wasn't favorable about the idea.

She took a few steps closer to him. "Just one kiss?"

It took all of his willpower to decline. "Why don't you go to sleep and dream about kissing me?" he suggested.

"Luke," Lorelai whined, frustrated. She reached for his hand and in her best Louis Armstrong voice, sang, "Give me a kiss to build a dream on…"

He laughed and gave her a quick peck on the lips in return. She eagerly turned the innocent kiss into a heated exchange. Seconds later, Luke had her back pressed against the wall and he was practically tearing the clothes off her body.

"Louis turned you on, eh?" Lorelai said, between gasps.

Luke shut her up with another searing kiss. His clothes were disappearing almost as fast as hers.

The fell together onto the mattress and entangled themselves amidst the sheets.

Sweet dreams.

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Breakfast went off without a hitch. Sookie and her kitchen crew aimed to please. Everyone sat together once more in the dining room, exchanging their favourite memories from their short stay at The Dragonfly. There were, however, three significant characters absent from the morning's proceedings; Luke, Lorelai and Taylor.

People had a pretty good idea where Luke and Lorelai were and what they were most likely doing. But Taylor…he was a bit of a mystery. Some suspected that he was too ashamed to show his face after last night's big reveal. Others were of the belief that he was catching up on the sleep he missed. Two people at the table had their own unique idea as to the reason behind Mr. Doose's absence. They wouldn't dare share.

Minutes later, Luke and Lorelai appeared before the group, looking slightly disheveled and a little overtired. But their faces were glowing.

Patty nudged Babette and they giggled quietly.

"Nice of you to finally join us," Emily said sharply.

"I like to make an entrance," Lorelai returned with a smile. She was in a ridiculously good mood and nothing was going to change that.

Taylor's heavy and angry feet pounding towards the dining room gave Lorelai cause to think that her stellar mood might not be so permanent after all.

He held in his hands, a pair of hot pink loafers. "Is this what you call a new pair of loafers!" he barked, thrusting the abhorrent footwear into the air.

Michel and Gypsy burst into laughter. Slowly but surely, the rest of the guests began to loose their composure and laughter filled the entire room. Even Lorelai chuckled at the scene before her. Pink was definitely not Taylor's colour.

The Town Selectman turned on his foot and stormed just as quickly out of the room as he entered. Lorelai chased after him, determined to smooth out the situation once and for all. She would deal with Michel and Gypsy later.

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It wasn't long before the Dragonfly staff lined the porch and bid farewell to all their guests.

Richard and Emily genuinely thanked Lorelai, congratulating her and the team for building such a promising business. Richard also mentioned his intentions of purchasing his very own edition of _Balderdash_. Lorelai encouraged him to do so. Anything to liven up Friday Night Dinners.

Taylor was in much better spirits upon descending the porch steps. Apparently Lorelai was a miracle worker. There was also talk that she promised Mr. Doose a spot in the Dragonfly brochure to advertise his Soda Shoppe. He was tickled pink. And yes, he kept the loafers.

Luke was the last to exit. He gave Lorelai a peck, and kept it quick this time. "Congratulations," he said.

"Thanks," she grinned. "See ya tonight, stud." She patted him on the butt. As Luke walked away, she belted out another Armstrong hit, "I found my thrill…on blueberry hill!"

Luke chuckled to himself.

"What was that about?" Sookie wondered.

"It's a Louis Armstrong song. It turns Luke on when I do my Louis voice."

Sookie giggled naughtily.

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Still inside the Inn, Michel and Gypsy seemed to be plotting yet another scheme. It seemed as though they were inventing any excuse to spend time together. There, was another story to be told.

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Sookie and Lorelai clinked their coffee mugs together on the porch. "Here's to a new adventure," Sookie grinned.

Lorelai smiled, taking everything in. Their dream was now a reality. She sighed and blissfully sang, "And I think to myself…what a wonderful world."

FIN

Thanks so much for following me on this journey - for as long as it took. I thoroughly enjoyed writing this. And Gypsy and Michel enjoyed helping me write this. Crazy kids. Stay tuned for the next adventure!


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